Can robot vacuums go up ramps? Doorway thresholds obstruct your smart robot vacuum. Fortunately, however, you can make ramps to aid navigation. But is an automatic vacuum able to detect and climb over ramps?
Some robot vacuum cleaners can go up ramps. They are designed to detect and even go down ramps to beat thresholds for more effective cleaning. Such robot vacuums need to have better clearance height and navigation system.
On your part, make sure the ramps are wide enough for the robot vacuum cleaner to locate. If your current robot vacuum will not climb over a ramp, get another for specifically cleaning the sunken room.
Will Robot Vacuum Go Over Threshold
Some robot vacuums can manage to go over smaller thresholds but definitely not high thresholds. Besides, not all vacuum cleaners can vacuum stairs due to the height.
Meanwhile, the average threshold a robot vacuum can go over is about 0.7 inches or 1.77 cm. It can also get rid of dirt and debris while going over it.
Vacuum cleaners avoid edges using their cliff sensors, this keeps them from thresholds that are too large. If you have thresholds in the room, get a ramp for your vacuum cleaner.
A robot vacuum knows not to go down thresholds without a ramp. There is an integrated cliff sensor and virtual walls that keep it from dropping into a sunken room.
Robot Vacuum Not Going Up Ramp
If your robot vacuum does not go up a ramp, the cliff sensor could be faulty or obstructed by dust.
Also, a magnetic tape can stop your automatic vacuum cleaner. The XFasten Magnetic Tape, for instance, emits a medium-duty magnetic field your vacuum cleaner can sense. It makes the vacuum mark off boundaries.
The simple solution overall is to invest in a premium vacuum cleaner that is renowned for climbing over thresholds. Some can climb up to 19mm thresholds seamlessly. It even gets easier if there is a ramp for it.
Help Robot Vacuum Over Threshold
If your robot vacuum cleaner will not go over the threshold, we will attempt to solve the problem in this section. By the way, do not expect your vacuum to go over really high thresholds.
Make sure you clean the charging contacts on the robot and the charging base. Clean the front bumper of your robot vacuum cleaner as well as the front window of the dock too.
In some other cases, your robot vacuum will not work if there is a charging cable in the way or it is vacuuming too close to the wall. It will not also go over the smallest threshold if it vacuumed something big. In this case, dismantle the robot and clean the dirt and debris.
Also, if you figure out that the threshold is too big, you can block your robot vacuum cleaner from using a virtual wall or a physical barrier. These solutions require the sensors to get to work.
You can also use a magnetic strip which could have been included in the box. A ramp can do the job too but you want to be sure if your robot vacuum cleaner can go over ramps.
If your automatic vacuum cleaner does not still work, contact the product manufacturer. They are able to resolve the problem, and sometimes issue a replacement robot vacuum.
How Do You Install a Threshold Ramp?
You can easily install a threshold ramp for your robot vacuum to easily navigate over a threshold. You only have to place the ramp to match the height of the threshold of your doorway.
Some robot vacuums will be able to go over ramps and come down measuring a height of up to 2 cm.
You can use an aluminum modular threshold ramp, wooden or even rubber safety ramp.
An alternative to a ramp is a doormat. You can place a doormat on the longer edges of the threshold along your doorway.
There should be a small step for the robot vacuum to climb if the height of the threshold is lower than 4cm.
How High Can a Robot Vacuum Climb?
A robot vacuum can climb a threshold up to 0.7 inches or 1.77 cm. If you place a threshold ramp, some robot vacuums will be able go over even higher thresholds.
Before you set up your robot vacuum cleaner, make sure to provide ramps for it to be able to navigate and map the rooms. You also want the ramps to be wider so that the robot easily finds and easily goes over or climbs down.
How Do Robot Vacuums Over Threshold?
A robot vacuum cleaner will not go over a threshold that is too high, so do not even think your robot can do all that climbing. But you can expect it to climb over small steps.
You can use a doormat or a ramp to make things easier.
You also want to make sure your robot vacuum cleaner has enough clearance under it. Some robot vacuum cleaners can have about 0.62 inches or 1.6 cm of space underneath them so that climbing up or down the threshold or threshold ramp is not a big problem.
Again, a ramp could be your big solution. The robot merely senses it and goes over it by combining its sensors to deliver excellent cleaning.
Robot Vacuum Buying Guide
Before you buy a robot vacuum cleaner, you want one that can climb over your doorway thresholds.
Below are the features to look at when buying a robot vacuum that can go over ramps:
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Clearance height
You need a robot vacuum that has no problem going over smaller thresholds. Then you can think of giving it a ramp to make navigation even easier. Some robot vacuums can navigate over thresholds of 1.2 cm or 0.5 inches.
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Self disposal
Your vacuum cleaner should be able to dispose of the dirt after cleaning. Such a vacuum cleaner features an enclosed bag system and then a smart emptying technology that keeps you from having to manually empty the bin.
This means no dust and dirt on sight since your robot vacuum cleaner can empty them in the clean base designed with enclosed bags.
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Personalized cleaning
You should be able to personalize cleaning. You want your automatic vacuum to clean the way you want, which makes it natural. Such a cleaner has smart personalization features that lets you schedule clean, spot clean and even specify the rooms you want it to vacuum.
This can be really helpful during allergy seasons and pet-shedding.
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Advanced navigation sensors
Without a complete suite of advanced sensors, your robot vacuum is unable to efficiently detect and know what to do when it finds thresholds along the doorway.
You want your vacuum cleaner to feature sensors like cliff sensors that keep it from crashing down thresholds while approaching a sunken room.
Typical reliable vacuum cleaners also feature an anti-drop design that prevents it from crashing. So, even when your pet runs into your robot vacuum, it should resist getting crushed.
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Powerful suction
Apart from going over ramps, get a robot vacuum cleaner that has powerful suction and overlong runtime.
Its suction power can reach 4000Pa so that it easily gets rid of dirt, and also works excellently on any floor. Suppose you have different floor types in the various rooms.
Your robot vacuum should be able to adjust suction to suit the floor when it gets over the threshold ramp to the next room.
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Automation
A fully automated cleaner will keep you from picking it up before it can clean. This also saves you the stress of manually recharging your robot vacuum cleaner.
You need a vacuum cleaner that easily avoids common room objects without waiting for you to manually lift the obstacles. If you have to lift before cleaning, then your vacuum cleaner cannot detect and go over ramps without you.
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Smart recharging
Your robot vacuum must have a smart recharging technology. It should be able to trace the docking station when it runs out of power.
If you have doorway thresholds and your vacuum cleaner cannot go over them, then you will always meet it dead. You do not want this as it does not truly define what a modern robot vacuum cleaner does.
After smart recharging, the robot should also have the ability to resume from where it stopped cleaning.
Best Robot Vacuum to Go Over Threshold
In this section, we will consider some of the robot cleaners reliable for going over ramps. This means they are really flexible in operation, and do not need you to pick them up to access and vacuum the next room.
Below are the best robot vacuum to go over threshold:
Roborock E4 Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Speaking of going up ramps and thresholds, Roborock’s E4 robot vacuum can do so while removing the toughest stains.
It uses a logical navigation system that runs on OpticEye motion tracking. It also uses dual gyroscope route algorithms to make sure not to miss dirt, especially while going over the ramp.
Suction
This robot vacuum uses a thorough cleaning power to ensure maximum suction. Its suction power reaches 2000Pa which easily lifts the pet hairs and other dirt from the floor.
Sensor
It uses the sensient array of sensors to keep the robot vacuum from dropping off ramps, and also to stay away from ledges.
Battery
It supports a 5200mAh long-lasting battery to take it over all your ramps before it shuts down. Moreover, when the battery runs low, this vacuum cleaner is able to trace its dock and recharge.
Smart
You can call it super smart, it supports voice control, so you can manage your smart robot to spot clean, schedule clean, and also get Alexa and Google Assistant to do a lot for you.. See on Amazon
iRobot Roomba j7+ (7550) Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
Meet one of the world’s smartest robot vacuums that can go over your ramps to clean the floor how you want. The iRobot Roomba J7+ is a class of its own
What makes it unique?
Cleaning system
It features the power-lifting suction to get rid of dirt regardless of the type of floor. Its edge-sweeping better allows it to access hard-to-reach parts of the wall so you realize a perfect vacuuming.
Smart navigation
You do not have to manually pick up your automatic vacuum cleaner. It can intelligently navigate the room, detect and avoid obstacles including pet waste, shoes, and more.
Personalization
You can personalize your robot vacuum to clean how you want. It easily adopts and adapts your cleaning demands to satisfy you.
Self disposal
It can self-dispose dirt, so you do not manually empty it for the next vacuuming expedition. Moreover, its enclosed bags keep dust and dirt out of sight, which is reasonable especially during allergy and pet shedding seasons.
Scheduling
You can schedule to clean your floor. Enable your robot vacuum WiFi and set it up via the mobile app to clean even when you are away. This vacuum cleaner is also smart enough to clean alone for weeks unsupervised. See on Amazon
Shark AV911S EZ Robot Vacuum
It is no news that the Shark AV911S EZ robot vacuum can go over ramps. In short, it makes going over ramps and sometimes thresholds look easy.
Adjustable suction
Adjustable suction lets this vacuum cleaner clean flexibly. For example, it can increase suction power quickly when it detects a carpet.
So, after your robot vacuum gets over the ramp to a different room with carpet, it can continue its effective cleaning automatically. That is to say you do not manually adjust it. This robot will also automatically reduce suction after exiting the carpet.
Smart
Speaking of smart, the Shark AV911S EZ is smart in all dimensions, including its smart charging ability, and app support for convenience features.
Regarding its battery intelligence, it can tell when the battery runs low and locates the dock automatically to recharge. You also want to ensure to place a wide enough ramp for it to easily climb over or down from another room.
Automation
A typical robot vacuum cleaner is designed to automate. Here, the AV911S EZ employs modern vacuuming technology to clean your home intelligently. See on Amazon
Can Robot Vacuums Go Down Ramps?
A robot vacuum that goes over ramps can also go down ramps easily. Nevertheless, not all ramps will work for your robot vacuum.
Again, make sure the ramp is wide enough so that the vacuum cleaner easily navigates through it.
Final Thoughts on Can Robot Vacuums Go Up Ramps?
CNET suggests you do not place the dock near the stairs as it can confuse your robot vacuum while it is tracing it.
If your vacuum is not built for ramps at all, it can shut off even at a shallow angle. Thus, its cleaning session could be over in your sunken room because it cannot exit it or enter it if not already inside.
Alternatively, you could always have another robot vacuum in your sunken room while the other vacuum cleans other parts.
